Definitions
01mood of speech or writing
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Literature
n. the mood or feeling expressed by the way someone speaks or writes.
n. the general character or attitude of a piece of writing or a speech, often conveyed through diction and register.
日本語:口調※
“The tone of his email was very professional, even though he was complaining.”
“The author maintains a cynical tone throughout the novel, frequently mocking the pretensions of the upper-class characters.”
02sound quality
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Music
n. the quality or character of a particular sound or voice.
n. the distinctive timbre or quality of a musical sound or a person's speaking voice.
日本語:トーン※
Español:tono
“The singer has a very warm, rich tone that is perfect for jazz.”
“The violin's tone was remarkably bright, cutting through the orchestral texture even during the most complex passages.”
03muscle firmness
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Medicine
n. the firmness and strength of your muscles.
n. the normal state of tension or responsiveness in a muscle; often used to describe a lean, fit appearance.
“Regular swimming is a great way to improve your muscle tone.”
“The physical therapist noted a significant improvement in the patient's muscle tone after six weeks of resistance training.”
Antonyms
04shade of a colour
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a particular shade or variety of a colour.
n. the lightness, darkness, or specific quality of a colour.
Español:tono
“The room was decorated in soft tones of blue and grey.”
“The artist used earthy tones to ground the composition, contrasting them with a single splash of vibrant crimson.”
05linguistic pitch
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Linguistics Technical
n. the use of high or low pitch to change the meaning of a word.
n. the use of pitch in language to distinguish lexical or grammatical meaning.
Español:tono
“In Mandarin Chinese, the same sound can have different meanings depending on the tone.”
“The phonological analysis revealed that the dialect uses tone to distinguish between past and present tense markers.”
Synonyms
06to make firm
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to make your body or muscles firmer and stronger through exercise.
v. to improve the firmness or physiological condition of the body or a specific muscle group.
“These exercises are designed to tone your stomach muscles.”
“While cardio is excellent for heart health, you need weight training if you want to tone your arms effectively.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
07to adjust colour
C1 · Advanced Technical
v. to change the colour or mood of something, like a photo.
v. to give a particular skin, colour, or character to something; often used in photography or art.
“The photographer decided to tone the image with a sepia filter for a vintage look.”
“The chemical process used to tone the prints resulted in a deep, metallic blue that enhanced the industrial themes of industrial decay.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “tone” in context.
Verb
01. adopt a tone
“She adopted a serious tone when discussing the company's financial problems.”
verb + noun
02. improve muscle tone
“Regular swimming is an excellent way to improve muscle tone and overall fitness.”
verb + noun
03. set the tone
“The opening speech set the tone for the rest of the conference.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. condescending tone
“I didn't appreciate his condescending tone when I asked for help with the software.”
adj + noun
05. conversational tone
“The book is written in a friendly, conversational tone that is easy to follow.”
adj + noun
06. muted tones
“The bedroom was decorated in muted tones of grey and blue to create a relaxing atmosphere.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. dialling tone
“I picked up the receiver, but there was no dialling tone.”
noun + noun
08. tone of voice
“It wasn't what he said, but his angry tone of voice that upset her.”
noun + of + noun
Real-World Examples
“The tone of his voice is so pleasing.” “As Abramović said in a droll tone when I asked her my final questions about the show: “What else do we need to talk about?” Etymology
From Middle English ton, tone, from Latin tonus (“sound, tone”) (possibly through Old French ton), from Ancient Greek τόνος (tónos, “strain, tension, pitch”), from τείνω (teínō, “to stretch”). Doublet of tune, ton, tonos, and tonus.
From Middle English tone, ton, toon, from the incorrect division of thet one (“the/that one”). Compare Scots tane in the tane; see also tother.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Related words
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/tone
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0